Introducing Dr. Brian Russell, new Director of Sacred Music

12-26-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. John Sims Baker

After a long and complicated search, I am happy to introduce Dr. Brian Russell as our new Director of Sacred Music for Saint Rose Parish. I believe that he is just what we need to enhance the musical life of the parish.

The search was complicated because our parish is complicated! We are large and diverse. We are also coming out of a time when vocal music, in particular, was affected by the pandemic. It does not seem possible or even desirable for one person to fill all the musical needs of the parish, but one person does need to oversee the music ministry. This will be our new director's mission. That being said, we will be takingREAD MORE

Peace and Vulnerability

12-19-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. John Sims Baker

Peace comes at a price: the price of vulnerability. Jesus shows us this. He came to restore peace, which had been ruptured by sin. He came to us and made himself vulnerable to us. He paid the price for the risk of vulnerability, but He accomplished the mission of restoring peace between God and humanity. He did not have to do this. He could have remained safely in glory at the right hand of the Father; but that would have left us as we were, lost in our sins and subject to eternal death.

We often find ourselves longing for peace in our relationships with one another, but we are unwilling to take the risk of vulnerability. Unless one person is willing to "be Christ" in the situation, there can be no peace. There might be a "truce" but not true peace. This sort of vulnerability can be seen in the virtue of meekness and in two of the spiritual works of mercy.

READ MORE

St. Martin de Porres, Pray for Us!

12-12-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. John Sims Baker

At the beginning of November, we celebrated the memorial of St. Martin de Porres. As a reminder about St. Martin, he was a contemporary of St. Rose. He lived in Lima and, like St. Rose, was also a member of the Dominican Order. He was a remarkable wonder-worker, a man of great charity, and one who suffered from racial discrimination. When I first came to St. Rose of Lima Parish, I read a biography of St. Martin and was struck by his holiness! We have commissioned a statue of St. Martin for the parish to make visible his influence and connection with St. Rose.

READ MORE

Year of St. Joseph

12-05-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. John Sims Baker

On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Wednesday, December 8, the Year of St. Joseph will come to a close. This has been a special year for the Church, for our parish, and for me. There are many reasons to be devoted to St. Joseph. He is the patron of the Church, the protector of the Holy Family, and the model of a holy death. During the pandemic, which included this year in his honor, I have gone to St. Joseph especially for the "temporal and spiritual welfare of Saint Rose of Lima Parish and families." I don't know how many times I have prayed this petition to St. Joseph since March of 2020.

READ MORE